Three People Injured In Chicago Carbon Monoxide Accident

Unsafe Premises - January 5, 2023

Three People Seriously Injured In Carbon Monoxide Accident At Chicago’s North Lawndale Neighborhood At Home On South St. Louis Avenue

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (January 4, 2022) – Three people were critically injured due to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning at a home in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood.

Cook County officials are saying that the accident took place around 6:00 p.m. on December 15. Firefighters and paramedics were called to the single family home and discovered that the level of carbon monoxide in the home was near 500 ppm.

Four people were extricated from the home and three of those people were taken to the hospital in critical condition. One of the victims was an 80-year-old woman who was found unconscious in the home.

Fire officials said that the home’s furnace may have been the cause of the carbon monoxide leak. A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.

Liability For Chicago Carbon Monoxide Accidents

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless and colorless gas that is produced anytime that fuel burns. People will start to become sick when they are exposed to carbon monoxide at above 70 parts per million (ppm). Carbon monoxide exposure at 150 to 200 ppm can lead to unconsciousness an death. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning may include headache, dizziness, upset stomach and chest pain. There are a number of steps that people should take if they believe that they have been exposed to carbon monoxide.

• Get to fresh air as soon as you can.
• Call 911 as early as possible.
• Some people exposed to CO may need to spend time breathing pure oxygen in the hospital.

Depending on the facts of any case, there could be numerous sources of liability for any CO accident. For example, the company that created a furnace could potentially be liable for an accident. Companies have a legal responsibility to create products that are reasonably safe. They must also warn consumers about the latent dangers associated with their products. Most product liability claims allege design defects, marketing defects or manufacturing defects. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any carbon monoxide accident.

• Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
• The source of the leak should be determined.
• Medical records should be preserved.

It can be hard to know where to begin after any accident. But it is important for victims to know that they do have rights. Any person that is injured in a carbon monoxide poisoning accident is protected by a number of laws. Sadly, though, the companies that manufacturer furnaces and appliances will often fight hard to deny responsibility for any incident. This is why it is so important that all evidence is properly preserved.

Investigating A Chicago CO Accident

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our best wishes to all of the people who were injured in this North Lawndale accident. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. It is our sincere hope that steps are taken to prevent other incidents like this.

Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a carbon monoxide poisoning accident? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of personal injury attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or would like to know more about your rights we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.